


For the Sake of this Changing World

by carsinoska



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's
Genre: M/M, One-Sided Attraction
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-21
Updated: 2016-04-21
Packaged: 2018-06-03 16:37:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 533
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6618205
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/carsinoska/pseuds/carsinoska
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He owed Z-one everything, after all.</p>
            </blockquote>





	For the Sake of this Changing World

**Author's Note:**

> "If our chance meeting is fate  
> [Then I can’t let this end yet](https://kafkafuura.wordpress.com/2011/11/08/)"

The world was spinning faster and faster out of control. Anyone who was paying attention could easily see that they were just one step away from destroying themselves. Paradox realized this and yet, he was just as surprised as everyone else at the Machine Emperor Invasion.

Why should he even run? Was there any reason to press forward? Could he finally seek oblivion after years of loneliness and endless repetition? He thought many of these things, but his body seemed to think otherwise, moving against his will.

Maybe it was for the best. After all, he was able to meet Z-one. 

They met by hazard. Paradox was above ground instead of hiding underground for once, trying to find water and food, when he heard some sort of vehicle approaching.

“Was I too late…?” a man said quietly to himself. With a sigh, he climbed back onto his motorcycle. As he was about to leave, Paradox ran up to him.

“Wait-!”

The man looked at him, surprised. “So there still are people around here. I’m glad.” He introduced himself as Z-one and told Paradox about the shelter from the Machine Emperors, the Ark Cradle.

“Even though the odds are against us, I believe that we can make things right,” Z-one said. “Won’t you help us?”

Paradox didn’t have any reason to say otherwise. He accepted the other’s offer without hesitation.

There was a surprising amount of people in the Ark Cradle. Paradox didn’t bother to get to know them all. He simply stayed by Z-one’s side, helping him with his research. The only other person that he ended up knowing was Antinomy, a brilliant mechanic with strange glasses, though only because Antinomy also happened to spend all his time with Z-one.

Paradox wasn’t entirely sure what to think of Z-one at first. His appearance threw him off; that was Fudo Yusei’s hairstyle, his clothes, and his D-Wheel, but there was something different about the way he seemed to carry himself, a different look in his eye. Antinomy called him Yusei sometimes, when Z-one wasn’t around, but Paradox wasn’t entirely convinced. After all, it had been a few centuries since Yusei’s time. Nevertheless, Z-one’s true identity was of little concern to Paradox: what was more important was their research.

(Z-one did eventually tell them both the truth- that he was really just another man inspired by the legend. It still didn’t stop Paradox from admiring him.)

No, admiration was too weak a word. It was probably something more akin to love.

What wasn’t there to love about him? Z-one was hard-working, motivated, always believing in another possibility. His drive inspired Paradox- he wanted to become someone that Z-one could always depend on. Simply trying to match his genius was a feat in of itself, but he had to try.

‘I want to always be by his side.’

It was a selfish wish, he knew, especially in a world like this. But Paradox would do anything for him. Z-one had saved him and had given him a new purpose, so it was the least he could do.

No matter how outrageous the request, no matter how fruitless... for Z-one’s sake, he would see it carried out.


End file.
